Advertisement

PREMIER LEAGUE: West Ham 1 Leicester 2 - Foxes top after Upton Park victory

First-half goals from Shinji Okazaki and Riyad Mahrez see off the Hammers who finish the match with 10 men

Leicester held on to beat West Ham and continue their 100% winning start to the season under Claudio Ranieri and go top of the Premier League on goal difference.

Shinji Okazaki put the Foxes ahead, heading home the ball after goalkeeper Adrian had blocked his volley.

Riyad Mahrez made it 2-0 before half-time with a powerful finish - his third goal of the season.

Dimitri Payet nets West Ham's goal
Dimitri Payet nets West Ham's goal

West Ham replied after the break through Dimitri Payet before Kasper Schmeichel denied Diafra Sakho an equaliser.

The Hammers had Adrian sent off for a challenge on Jamie Vardy after he went up for a corner in stoppage time.

WEST HAM 1 LEICESTER CITY 2 - FULL MATCH STATS

Delighted Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri beamed: "All the match was good for us. We are playing well. All the players play like a team, they play with the ball on the ground and it is important to increase our stamina and fitness, and also our mentality.

"We are working very hard with the defensive line. I have very good players in front, very fast but it is important we all stay together.

"I didn't want to defend too deep but when you see your players go deep it is better to help them with their mentality."

Hammers manager Slaven Bilic said: "It is a bad result of course after a good start. We didn't play good enough in the first half. We started well but after that we were second best.

"We lost the game in the first half. Two-nil down is very difficult to come back from. We are very disappointed.

Shinji Okazaki celebrates putting Leicester ahead with Danny Drinkwater
Shinji Okazaki celebrates putting Leicester ahead with Danny Drinkwater